Arsenal team news: Caicedo, Webster and Welbeck out

Albion finish a memorable year with a visit from the Premier League leaders when Arsenal come to the Amex for a sold-out fixture on Saturday, kick off 5.30pm.

Both sides come into the game on the back of 3-1 wins on Boxing Day. Adam Lallana, an own goal and Solly March secured our success at Southampton while Arsenal have a five-point lead at the top after their win against West Ham at the Emirates.

Team news

Albion will have to make one change with Moises Caicedo suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season at St Mary’s.

Roberto De Zerbi also confirmed on Friday afternoon that he will be without Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck for Saturday's game.

"At the moment the players are in good condition. Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck aren't able to play, we will have to wait a few more days for Welbeck, maybe a bit longer for Webster.

"I believe in my players and I think we are able to play well, we want to finish the year in a good way, by getting a good result against Arsenal."

Previous meetings

Albion have an impressive recent record against the Gunners, and we will be aiming for our third successive win against them, having beaten them 3-1 last month in the Carabao Cup and 2-1 when we last met them in the league at the Emirates in April, when Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu scored.

Albion are one of just three teams that Arsenal have lost (4) more Premier League games than they've won (3) against, along with Manchester United (W17 L26) and Liverpool (W17 L25).

Player to watch

Norwegian international Martin Odegaard has been making Arsenal’s midfield tick this season and he also carries a serious goal threat with four goals away from home already, with braces against Bournemouth and Wolves. He has six goals this campaign, one fewer than he managed in the entirety of the last two seasons.

Only five players have ever scored multiple goals in more than three away games in a Premier League season for the Gunners – Ian Wright (3 in 1993-94), Dennis Bergkamp (3 in 1997-98), Emmanuel Adebayor (4 in 2007-08), Robin van Persie (3 in 2011-12) and Alexis Sanchez (3 in 2016-17).

The 24-year-old joined Arsenal in 2020 on loan from Real Madrid before completing a permanent move.

Stats and facts

• Albion have lost just one of their five Premier League home games against Arsenal (W2 D2), a 1-0 loss in December 2020.
• Albion beat Arsenal 3-1 in the League Cup in November this season – only once have they beaten the Gunners twice in the same campaign, winning both Premier League meetings in 2019-20.
• Albion have lost their final league game in just one of the last six calendar years (W3 D2), though that defeat did come at home to Arsenal in their final game of 2020.
• Arsenal have won just two of their last seven league games played on New Year's Eve (D3 L2), beating Aston Villa 3-0 in 1988 and QPR 1-0 in 2011.
• Arsenal have kept six clean sheets in their eight Premier League away games this season (more than any other side), as many as they’d managed in 19 games on the road last term. However, the two games in which they conceded are the only two away games they've failed to win this season (1-3 vs Man Utd, 1-1 vs Southampton).
• Albion have lost two of their four home league games under Roberto De Zerbi (W1 D1), having been unbeaten in their final seven at the Amex Stadium under Graham Potter (W4 D3).
• Danny Welbeck has scored four goals in his last five games against Arsenal in all competitions, in a run stretching back to Manchester United's 8-2 win over the Gunners in August 2011. He's also netted against them this season in our 3-1 win in the League Cup in November.

Match officials

Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Jarred Gillett. VAR: Paul Tierney.